LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Sheet 144

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MISSIONS 127

1-08
To Urge District Action to Reach Jewish People

WuerEAs, The Lord of the church sent out teams of men with
the good news of the messianic age (Mark 6:7ff); and

WHEREAS, They were first sent among Jewish people; and

WHEREAS, Teams consisting of a person with a Jewish back-
ground and the other with a Gentile background have been most
effective in reaching Jewish people with the message of salvation
by grace through faith in Jesus Christ; and

WHEREAS, The command of the Savior was to “begin in
Jerusalem” (Acts 1:18); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod especially commend the excellent
work being carried out by District Task Force committees in Texas,
Pacific Southwest, Florida-Georgia, Atlantic, Missouri, and others;
and be it further

Resolved, That Districts of the Synod be urged to recruit and to
train teams of evangelists to work in Jewish communities of their
jurisdiction either through Task Force committees formed for this
purpose or by other means lest we “pass over” those who first cra-
dled the greatest gift that God in His mercy has or shall ever give to
His people.

Mount Calvary
Beverly Hills, CA

1-09

To Create Director of Jewish Evangelism Position

WHEREAS, The Synod through its resolutions (2-27 in 1977;
1-30 in 1979; 1-34 in 1981; 1-20 in 1983; 1-17 in 1986; 1989, and
others) has consistently encouraged the ongoing work of a Com-
mittee on Witnessing to Jewish People (1974), which became the
Task Force on Witnessing to Jewish People; and

WHEREAS, This Task Force, under a directive by the Synod,
reached a historic milestone in its history by being transferred from
the Board of Evangelism to being a part of the Synod’s Board for
Mission Services in 1988; and

WHEREAS, An openness to hearing the message of God’s salva-
tion in Christ Jesus has been noted in areas of various nations in
which Jewish people reside in numbers, including especially Israel
and Russia; and

WHEREAS, Our beloved Synod has been especially blessed with
diligent, gifted men and women who have given witness, produced
superior material, and been obviously blessed by God’s Holy Spirit
in this unique area of Jewish evangelism; and

WHEREAS, The work would receive greater direction and impe-
tus, under God’s blessings with a direct line of authority; therefore
be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention in 2001 commend the
Task Force on Witnessing to Jewish People for the excellent mate-
rial they have produced and made available to the church; and be it
further

Resolved, That the synodical Task Force on Witnessing to Jew-
ish People be commended for successfully assisting several Dis-
tricts in planting new Jewish missions; and be it further

Resolved, That the boards of evangelism and missions be com-
mended for the orderly, farsighted, and logical process they ac-
complished in the transfer of jurisdictional responsibility for the
Synod’s Task Force during these exciting years; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod in convention in 2001 direct the
Board for Mission Services to expand work among Jewish people
by establishing a full-time staff person for Jewish work under the
Mission Department, which would oversee, direct, encourage, and
develop a worldwide mission to God’s first chosen people and
thereby be in fulfillment of St. Paul’s admonition to go “to the Jew
first.”

Mount Calvary
Beverly Hills, CA

1-10

To Recognize Efforts to Witness to Jewish People

WHEREAS, God calls Jewish people “The Apple of His Eye” and
urges mission work be done continually among them so they may
see the Jewish Messiah as God’s gift to his first chosen people as
well as the Gentile world; and

Wrereas, Five District conventions of the Synod have taken
the unprecedented step of creating a position of “Missionary-
at-Large for Jewish outreach,” which is ably being carried out
today in our Pacific Southwest, Atlantic, Florida-Georgia, Mis-
souri, and Texas Districts by laymen or ordained clergymen in
full-time positions; and

WHEREAS, Other Districts favorably view the possibility of es-
tablishing full-time workers within their geographic borders for
Jewish evangelism; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod, which accepted the goal set by its
Task Force on Witnessing to Jewish People at Wichita in 1989 that
“teams of at least three trained workers.in five major cities of Jew-
ish population be established in the next ten (10) years,” thank a
merciful God for bringing us to the realization of that goal and en-
courage continued effort in establishing other outreach in areas of
the Synod currently seeking assistance from the Synod’s Task
Force on Witnessing to Jewish People; and be it further

Resolved, That member congregations be encouraged to re-
member these deployed Jewish evangelists—Marc Danzis and
Gary Timm (AT), Rev. Donald Peyman (TX), Rev. Bruce Lieske
and Robert Reed (F-G), Ted Martin (PSW), Steve Cohen, Rev.
Kevin Parviz, and Alan Butterworth (MO)—regularly in their
prayers before the throne of grace.

Mount Calvary
Beverly Hills, CA

1-11

To Encourage Ongoing Support for “The Apple
of His Eye” Campaign
WHEREAS, Since the Synod last met in convention, multiple suc-
cessful campaigns under the title “The Apple of His Eye” have en-
joyed remarkable blessing under the hand of almighty God carried
out in the streets, homes, on the telephones of each of the five geo-
graphical areas in which “The Apple of His Eye” has had an out-
reach touching the lives of many thousands of citizens of those
cities; and
WuereEAS, Hundreds of Jewish people have indicated their de-
sire to receive more information leading to establishing worship-
ing communities through this effort; and
WHEREAS, Over 50 members of the Synod’s congregations have
been involved in the distribution of literature, supporting the street
workers with food, lodging, and fervent prayer: and
WHEREAS, The “Apple of His Eye” is seen as an ongoing and
growing movement in support of work among God’s first chosen
people in other communities as well; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention extend its gratitude to
the scores of individuals who have been instruments in the hands of
God to bring the message of salvation by grace through faith in
Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah) to Jewish people; and be
it further
Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage other Dis-
tricts having a significant Jewish population to become acquainted
with this unique outreach and incorporate it into their evangelism
outreach; and be it finally
Resolved, That missionaries within the five Districts of Synod
(Atlantic, Texas, Florida-Georgia, Pacific Southwest, and Missouri)
who bore the responsibility of following up on these contacts di-
rected toward resulting in worshiping communities of Jewish be-
lievers be commended, encouraged, and supported by our prayers
and personal involvement.
Mount Calvary
Beverly Hills, CA

2001 Convention Workbook